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Rates of electrocatalytic water oxidation to oxygen by Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes are enhanced by added NaCl. Observations based on the single-site catalyst Ru(II)(Mebimpy)(bpy)(OH2)(2+) (Mebimpy is 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine; bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine) at pH 7.0 in a phosphate buffer suggest a mechanism involving initial oxidation of the catalyst to Ru(V)(O)(3+) followed by Cl(-) oxidation to HOCl. Once formed, HOCl is oxidized to O2.
Chen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.